The purpose of this resource is to understand that variations in landscape can affect soil properties. Students investigate variations in the soils around their school to discover that soil properties like moisture and temperature exhibit considerable variability across a single landscape. They also identify factors such as slope, shade, plants, compaction, which affect the appearance of soils and ... Full description.

The purpose of this resource is to develop an understanding of some of the relationships between soils of different types and water. Students will time the flow of water through soils with different properties and measure the amount of water held in these soils. They will also experiment with the filtering ability of soils by testing the pH of the water before and after it passes through the soil ... Full description.

The purpose of this resource is to measure near-surface soil temperatures. Students measure soil temperatures at 5 cm and 10 cm depths using a soil thermometer. Students will be able to perform a soil thermometer calibration, carry out soil temperature measurements accurately and precisely and record and report soil temperature data. Students will be able to relate soil temperature measurements to ... Full description.

The purpose of this resource is to measure the pH of a soil horizon. Students mix dried and sieved soil samples with distilled water. The mixture is allowed to settle until a relatively clear layer is formed. Students use a pH pen, pH meter, or pH paper to determine the pH of the sample. The procedure is done three times for each horizon. Full description.

The purpose of this resource is to develop a classification system for a set of objects and learn about hierarchical classification systems. Any set of objects, such as insects or rocks, may be used as well. Full description.

The purpose of this resource is to understand that soil, under different environmental conditions, plays a role in the decomposition of organic materials. Students use bottle experiments to observe changes in the decomposition of vegetable scraps. Students vary temperature, moisture, and light conditions to determine the conditions that best facilitate the decomposition of organic material in soil. ... Full description.

This activity gives students a hands-on look at why saltwater sinks as they create the smallest of ocean currents in a glass baking dish. They will see firsthand why saltwater is denser than freshwater and why salt sets the seas in motion. Students slowly add saltwater that has been tinted with food coloring to a glass baking dish that contains freshwater. The students then see that the saltwater ... Full description.

This activity has students compare the mass of several rocks in order to find the one with the most mass. After the groups order their rocks by mass, the class reconvenes and the mass in grams is determined. Some students may notice that the biggest rock (the one with the greatest volume) is not always the most massive. This will open the door for the introduction of the concept of density. Full description.

Minerals 4 Kids contains four Web-based activities offered for K-12 Education by the Mineralogical Society of America (MSA). These activities are entitled: Minerals in Your House, Mineral Groups, Mineral Properties, and All About Crystals. Also included are links to Mineral Games, the Rock Cycle diagram that leads to descriptions of the three rock types, and Ask-A-Mineralogist that enables the user ... Full description.

This lesson plan is part of the DiscoverySchool.com lesson plan library for grades K-5. It focuses on three specific landforms: canyons, caves, and concretion. Students research one of these landforms as a team to create a visual display, illustrating how the landform formed and evolved to its present state. Included are objectives, materials, procedures, discussion questions, evaluation ideas, suggested ... Full description.